FBI records show broadcaster Paul Harvey had deep ties to J. Edgar Hoover

[UpInArms]

Source: Washington Post

For the better part of six decades, Paul Harvey spun tales on the radio in his staccato baritone, entertaining up to 24 million listeners a day with folksy vignettes ending in unexpected twists.

<snip>

Previously confidential files show that Harvey, who died last February at 90, enjoyed a 20-year friendship with FBI Director J. Edgar Hoover, often submitting advance copies of his radio script for comment and approval. Harvey wrote Hoover and his deputies regularly. Hoover, in turn, helped Harvey with research, suggested changes in scripts and showered the broadcaster with effusive praise.

But the real twist, suitable for one of Harvey's signature "Rest of the Story" vignettes, is how they met -- on opposite sides of an espionage investigation.

The news is contained in nearly 1,400 pages of FBI files, released to The Washington Post in response to a one-year-old Freedom of Information Act request. The trove supplies new details about how America's No. 1 broadcaster came to befriend America's No. 1 G-man.

The records underscore that the men shared deeply conservative convictions and a hatred of communism. And Harvey's vast audience was of intense interest to the image-obsessed Hoover.

Harvey tried to be of service beyond the FBI as well, writing in 1956 to Sen. Joseph McCarthy, who had made a name for himself by hunting down alleged Communists in the federal bureaucracy, with tips about "known Reds" at a Texas Air Force base. A senior FBI official added a handwritten notation to ensure that Harvey's letter not be distributed outside the bureau's top brass: "No dissemination since identity of Harvey cannot be revealed."

Read more: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/01/22/AR2010012202602.html?nav=hcmodule

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I always felt he was a right-wing wacknut - now it is confirmed.

[Solly Mack]

1. k/r

[paulsby]

2. did they share the same dressmaker? nt

[LiberalFighter]

12. Did they have the same color tutu?

[Canuckistanian]

3. And he was a horse molester

[Lautremont]

4. And that little boy who nobody liked grew up to be

Roy Cohn.

[BunkerHill24]

5. Disappointing and betrayal is understatement.

k & R

[glitch]

6. You know, there is probably a lot more where this came from.

They want to play dirty, our side has plenty of ammo too.

I believe there is a precedent on Presidents determining which information from previous administrations can be classified/declassified.

edit: one of the first things Bush jr did was extend the classification of information from Bush sr admin that was ready to be released.

I bet enough time has passed and it's safe to release now. :evilgrin:

[panader0]

7. Rush Limbaugh is Paul Harvey's love child

[kenny blankenship]

8. And now you know... the rest of the story.

[SlingBlade]

9. Hummm. How Deep exactly :)

[spiritual_gunfighter]

10. We knew he was a right wing wacknut from way back

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x5160197

[susu369]

11. Very interesting

:kick:

Can't share where my imagination is taking me.

:evilgrin:

[UpInArms]

13. hiya susu!

great to see you out here!

:hug:

:hi:

[susu369]

14. Hiya back

{{hug}}

[FreeJoe]

15. Doesn't surprise me

Paul Harvey always creeped me out. Actually, the whole commercial radio thing creeps me out. The complete blend between editorial and advertising content is just wrong. Are you really going to believe someone that tells you "news" and with essentially no segue also hawks crappy merchandise and services?